A grandmother, a wooden dog, and a tuk-tuk across London: the John Lewis Christmas advert is here

For its 20th Christmas advert — a genuine national ritual in the UK — John Lewis has cast Dame Kristin Scott Thomas as Gloria, a grandmother whose grandchildren upend her quiet London study on Christmas Eve. Her solution is in the attic: Pickles, a vintage pull-along toy dog, who promptly comes to life (voiced by Paul Whitehouse), scolds her — 'You can do better than cash' — and drags her across London in a tuk-tuk on a mission to find presents that actually mean something. The film, set to Sam Fender's cover of 'You Can't Always Get What You Want,' premieres online on the morning of 3 November. Some adverts sell things. The good ones remind you what the season is for.